Gaseous grenade

ABSTRACT

A grenade for use in dispensing a vaporized explosive mixture in the atmosphere of a winding tunnel and igniting the mixture. The grenade provides a storage compartment for the pressurized explosive mixture and a separate compartment for elements of a delay ignitor. An operating mechanism, releases the pressurized mixture and actuates the delay ignitor for setting off the explosion of the vaporized mixture.

Looger GASEOUS GRENADE Inventorn Lonnie L. Looger, 1104 Mahon Dr.,

1 Madison, Ala. 35758 [22] Filed: Nov. 15, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 306,787

[52 us. c1 ..L 102/65, 102/64, 102/90 [51] int. Cl. F42b 27/02, F42b 27/04 '[58] Field of Search 102/6, 64-66, 90

[56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,372,264 3/1945 Firth 102/6 2,393,861 H1946 Miller 1 102/64 3,685,453 8/1972 Hamrick 102/6 [451 Jan. 22, 1974 Primary Examiner--Verlin R. Pendegrass Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Edward J. Kelly; Herbert Ber]; Charles R. Carter [57] ABSTRACT A grenade for use in dispensing a vaporized explosive mixture in the atmosphere of a winding tunnel and igniting the mixture. The grenade provides a storage compartment for the pressurized explosive mixture 2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure l fle u pal 00 2 n 0 I2 a nor;

PAIENIEDm 22 an GASEOUS GRENADE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the field of grenades. Explosion effects from conventional hand grenades are ineffective when used in winding tunnels because the winding tunnel localizes the explosion. Many underground tunnels have turns of 90 or more and follow winding paths which limit or localize the use of a hand grenade from widespread explosive effect in such tunnels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The single FIGURE :shown is a sectional view of the gaseous grenade.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Reference numeral shows a typical aerosol container storing an explosive mixture 12, such as propane, in a pressurized condition. The container is provided with a spout 14 which is headed at 16 for breakaway purposes. The upper end of the spout is closed off by one end of a handle 18 that is connected thereto. The

handle is withheld from inadvertent operation by a safety pin 20. The other end of the handle is connected to a delay ignitor generally indicated as 22 and is housed in compartment 23. A wire 24 extends through a plug 25 and connects the handle to a sensitive ignitor mix 26 which is lit off by merely pulling the wire 24. The lighting of mix 26 will actuate a delay train 28 to then cause a flash mix 30 to produce a spark that sets off the vaporized explosive propane and explosion occurs. The period of time from lighting mix 26 to sparking of flash mix 30 is predetermined to allow all the mixture 12 to be expelled from the container.

In operation, the safety pin 20 is removed and handle 18 is lifted up to break the spout at bead 16 and to start the ignitor mix 26. By the time the mixture has been dispensed from the container a spark from flash mix 30 will set off the vaporized explosive.

I claim:

1. A grenade for dispensing a vaporized explosive mixture and for igniting the mixture, said grenade comprising: a container provided with a pressurized explosive mixture; a spout providing a discharge path for said pressurized mixture; a frangible seal for closing said spout; a delay ignitor supported by said container, and operating means for breaking said seal to allow dispens ing of said mixture and for igniting said delay ignitor to cause explosion of said dispensed vaporized mixture, said operating means including a handle having one end connected to said frangible seal and the opposite end connected to said delay ignitor.

2. A grenade as set forth in claim 1 that includes a safety pin for preventing inadvertent operation of said handle.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFIQATE 0F CORRECTION Patent No. 3,786 ,750 Dated January 22 1974 Inventor(s) LONNIE 1,. LOOGER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby eorreeted' as shown below:

on the cover sheet, insert [73] Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Signed and sealed this 6th day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. (3. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents =ORM PO-lOSO (10-69) USCOMM'DC 5376-PB9 UvS GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: IBCS O-366-334.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,786,756 Dated January 22 1974 Inventor(s)' LONNIE LOOGER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet, insert [73] Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Q Signed and sealed this 6th day of August 1974.

A. (SEAL) Attest: I

MCCOY 'M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attest-ing Officer Commissioner of Patents scam PO-1050 (IO-69) USCOMMDC 60376-P69 ".5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE IQIQ 0- 365-334. 

1. A grenade for dispensing a vaporized explosive mixture and for igniting the mixture, said grenade comprising: a container provided with a pressurized explosive mixture; a spout providing a discharge path for said pressurized mixture; a frangible seal for closing said spout; a delay ignitor supported by said container, and operating means for breaking said seal to allow dispensing of said mixture and for igniting said delay ignitor to cause explosion of said dispensed vaporized mixture, said operating means including a handle having one end connected to said frangible seal and the opposite end connected to said delay ignitor.
 2. A grenade as set forth in claim 1 that includes a safety pin for preventing inadvertent operation of said handle. 